Empty stands at Narendra Modi Stadium for the England vs. New Zealand World Cup opener
Ahmedabad: The 13th edition of the ICC Cricket World Cup started with a whimper, as the opening match between England and New Zealand at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad saw empty stands.
Despite tickets being available for less than Rs 1,000 and even during the game, the world’s largest cricket stadium failed to attract fans’ attention. The absence of an opening ceremony also added to fans’ disappointment.
England batted first after New Zealand won the toss and decided to bowl. England made a good start, but New Zealand took three wickets.
England’s playing XI: Jonny Bairstow, Dawid Malan, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jos Buttler (wk/c), Liam Livingstone, Moeen Ali, Sam Curran, Chris Woakes, Adil Rashid, and Mark Wood.
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New Zealand’s playing XI: Devon Conway, Will Young, Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham (wk/c), Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Matt Henry, Mitchell Santner, James Neesham, and Trent Boult.
Why were the stands empty?
There are several possible reasons why the stands were empty for the World Cup opener. One reason could be the high ticket prices. Tickets for the match ranged from Rs 750 to Rs 25,000, which is out of reach for many fans.
Another reason could be the lack of interest in cricket among younger fans. In recent years, there has been a decline in the popularity of cricket among young people, who are more interested in other sports such as football and kabaddi.
Finally, the timing of the match could also have played a role in the empty stands. The match started at 10:30 AM, which is an early time for many fans to come to the stadium.
